The man charged in the March shooting of Buddy, the German shepherd-mix dog, will enter a guilty plea in early November, a court here heard.

Simeon Smith, 32, who did not appear in person in provincial offences court in Greater Sudbury Monday, had a date of Nov. 5 set to enter his plea.

Lawyer William Beach appeared on Smith's behalf.

Smith is facing four charges of animal cruelty laid under the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

He is charged with causing an animal to be in distress, permitting an animal to be in distress, failing to provide adequate and appropriate medical attention and failing to humanely kill an animal by a method that is humane and minimizes the pain and distress to the animal.

On March 6, Buddy was found at the side of Montee Brazeau Road in St. Charles with two shotgun wounds to the head.

Half his face and neck had been blown away.

After successfully undergoing surgery, in which 50 shotgun pellets were removed from his body, Buddy died of heart complications during a second surgery.

Smith faces a fine of up to $60,000, a lifetime ban on owning an animal and up to two years in jail.